Stone Cold
by ductilewaste
Summary: Kagura feels trapped...suffocated. One day she meets a unique man with long silver hair. She tells herself he's just another sexist jerk. But, why do his eyes look so kind? I suck at summaries so I put another one inside. Please R&R!
1. Ball 'n' Chain

Kagura's heart has avoided affection since her mother died. When she meets a long haired man, she assumes he's just another sexist jerk. But why does his eyes look so...different? (sorry I suck at summaries) rated M for language and further chapters.

_Author's Notes:_ Okay, this is my first ever fanfic, (as if it wasn't obvious). I'm going to upload 2 chapters today since I'm not busy. If they get good reviews by anyone, I will probably continue the story. So please, R&R! (P.S. - I can accept a little flaming…)

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Just like any other day, Kagura disregarded her father's hateful glare as she walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She knew he loathed her very being, but she didn't really care what he thought about her because their feelings of hate were mutual. She had just graduated from high school two years ago, but he refused to let her attend college. He had said that she just wanted to go to relive her mother's intuition of being a "whore". Even though she was only three years old when her mother died, she could still remember the sound of her voice when she sang to her. Unlike her father, Naraku, her mother actually cared about Kagura. In her childhood, she would wake up every night from nightmares, (often involving her father), and only her mother, Muzaki, would come to console her.

She often recalled her parents arguing over her sake. Her father usually would say that she was a waste of time. After her mother died, Naraku would hit her more casually as the days passed. One day she decided that she was going to leave and never come back. Though, she didn't make it far. Her father found her sleeping behind a worn-down stop sign leaned against a brick wall. "_You're not leaving yet, you disgrace. I have plans for you…"_

And here she was, working as a part-time waitress at _Suikotsu's Diner_, with nothing but a high school education. She figured her life was set. She would work for money for her father to spend on her brother, Hakudoushi, and someday she would die. At least then she would be free.

She hated having to get up so early in the morning to make breakfast. Even if she started at 4:00 in the morning it still wouldn't satisfy Naraku. She had to stay overtime at work the night before and slept in a bit today. It was her only day off this month, which granted her access to leaving the house.

"You're late." Her father said without looking up from his paper.

"I didn't know breakfast had a schedule, Naraku. Are you always such an imbecile, or just when I'm around?" She lashed back.

"Where do you think you're going? I hope you don't intend on neglecting your chores."

"You bastard! This is my first day off in a month and you think I'm going to stay here and clean your shit?!"

"That's exactly what you're going to do."

She knew she had to obey him, for she had no other choice. If she tried to run, he would find her. And just as she thought her day couldn't possibly get any worse, the spawn of Satan himself entered the room.

"Hey sis'! I thought about you all day yesterday while I was at the zoo." Hakudoushi said with a smirk.

"That's so comforting. Someone who makes me want to cut down our family tree would miss me."

The smug look on his face made her think of her mother, (not of recollection). It made her wonder how something so disgusting had been Muzaki's offspring. About three years after her mother's death she found that the only reason Naraku hated her was because her mother had been having an affair the time she was conceived. He hadn't found out until after she died. While Kagura knew it was completely vile of her mother to do so, she found it was worth it to know that Naraku wasn't her real father. That simple information helped her go on in life.

"Hakudoushi, keep an eye on that girl. I'm going to get new tires for the car."

"Why do I always get stuck here with her? It makes me sick being in her presence."

"You are to stay."

_Why do I always have to spend my days off in this goddamn house?! It's ridiculous that he trusts that little shit more than me. Maybe I can pay that runt off somehow…_

"Say, Hakudoushi? How about you and me make a little deal?"

He seemed to be deep in thought, or whatever activities occurred inside his skull. She knew she couldn't trust him to keep his mouth shut to Naraku after he returned, but the time until then was enough for her to escape. She hadn't even really thought of a plan, though.

"Okay, what am I gonna get outa it?"

"I'll introduce you to that girl who my friend babysits, if you keep your mouth shut until Naraku comes home."

It seemed to be a perfect plan! Her only friend at the time, Tsubaki, was a stripper by night and babysitter by day. One time Kagura had managed to sneak out of the house and call Tsubaki on a payphone. She was invited to come to her house while she babysat some little brat named Rin. Kagura didn't waste time to take as many pictures as she could of the three so she could remember the day. It was the first time she had gotten all the way to someone else's house when Naraku was after her. To her, it was truly memorable.

When Hakudoushi saw the pictures while sneaking around in her room, he instantly fell in love with the young girl. Kagura knew that he would keep quiet for at least an hour if she promised to introduce them. Her plan was almost fail-proof!

"Hmph…do as you please. My purpose in life is not to watch over a grown woman."

"It's a deal."

Without hesitation, she ran up the stairs and put on her nicest red dress. It used to be her mother's when she was around her age. It was honestly the most precious thing that Kagura owned. The dress was strapless and came down to her mid-thighs. At the bottom was a flower pattern sewn in beautiful silver thread. She had only worn it one other time, and that was to try it on about a month ago. She threw on some red heels to match and grabbed her purse.

_Finally I can leave this hellhole without fear of being followed. I hope Tsubaki's not busy at the moment._

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Sorry this one's so short but the others will be much longer…I swear!


	2. The Diner

Here it is folks! It took me a little longer than I expected to get this one done. Sorry for the delay and please R&R! (many more chapters to come!)

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Kagura raced across the street and almost broke one of her heels. Her nervous nature bade her to look behind her frequently, making her stumble over her own feet.

"Damn. Where the fuck is the payphone?" she said to herself.

For once, she was in luck. There was an unoccupied payphone down the sidewalk in front of her. It seemed the day was going better than she had originally hoped. She dialed her friend's number as quickly as her fingers could go. After about four rings, a familiar voice spoke from the other line.

"For the last time, I don't have your tennis ball!"

"Ummm…Is this Tsubaki?"

"Oh, thank god it's you. I thought it was…well, nevermind. It's a long story. Anyways, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you were doing anything right now."

"Actually, I'm about to go to the airport and pick up my mom. She's visiting from Florida."

"Fuck…nevermind, then. I'll talk to you later I guess."

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you, 'k?"

"Sure. Bye."

She hung up the phone with a sigh. _Well there goes my day. What the hell am I supposed to do now? I can't go back… I won't! Hmph, who am I kidding? I've got no one to help me. I'm always going to have to go crawling back to that scumbag. _She threw her head back and rubbed her temples. Just then, a single drop of water guided its way right into her eye.

"Damn it to hell! Now it's raining?! Ugh, this can't possibly get worse…"

Just as she stepped to turn around, her left heel broke off. _I guess I spoke too soon._ The rain wasn't letting up either. It seemed to turn into a windy storm in seconds. _I gotta get outa this damn rain. Maybe I can hide out in Suikotsu's Diner for a while. _

When she reached the diner, she noticed a rather mysterious-looking man inside. He had long silver hair and a tall, yet muscular, figure. He was standing at the bar sipping a coffee. _That smug son of a bitch! I bet everything in his life has been handed to him on a platter. He seems just like Naraku. Only, there's no hate in his eyes. Well, it certainly can't be kindness. But, why does he look so lonely?_

All of the sudden, he looked directly at her and sat down his coffee. _What the fuck is he lookin' at? _He started making swift movements toward the door without looking away from her. _I was so busy lookin' at this creep I didn't even notice I was still standin' in the rain. And why is he still lookin' at me?_ He finally reached the door and opened it.

"Is there a problem?"

"I could ask you the same question."

They stood in silence for a moment. _Just what does he want me to do? Why is he just standin' here?_

"Are you coming inside or do you want me to sprinkle rose pettles first?"

"Don't get cocky. I'm comin' in."

His expression was so cold and meaningless. His voice matched it perfectly, not to mention. It's like he held no emotion whatsoever. _This guy gives me the creeps… still; he seems as much of an asshole as any other guy._

"Would you like to sit?"

_I knew it! He just wanted to hit on me! He's just as I thought: no different. I hope he doesn't think I'm actually that dumb. _She steadied herself on the bar he had been standing by. Even though she was terribly cold and soaked to the core, she kept up her rough exterior.

"Whatever…" she said as she dropped onto the seat.

He continued to look at her with a somewhat interested expression. _I am gonna sock him in the jaw if he doesn't keep his eyes to himself. _It's not that she wasn't used to being stared at whenever she had black eyes, busted lips, etc. But there was nothing wrong with her today except for the fact she was dripping water everywhere.

"I don't do tricks, ya know." she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Your eyes…" He had returned to sipping his coffee.

"What about 'em?!" she snapped.

"They're strange. I've never seen someone with red eyes."

"Feh, I could say the same about yours. What color is that, gold?"

He shrugged. _What am I doin' here, talking to some random guy. Sheesh, I wish I wasn't so cold…_She felt her body shiver and her teeth start to chatter. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you find it amusing to go strutting around in the rain dressed like that?"

"And what if I do? Besides, this isn't how I planned on spending my day."

"I see."

The look on his face made her want to punch him. She didn't know if he had flinched or if it was actual emotion. He looked down to her body then back up to her face. _Why is he lookin' at me like I'm some kinda Big Mac? _She got her answer when she looked down at herself. She practically left nothing for the imagination. Her skintight dress was clinging to her for dear life, and it had obviously risen up her thighs. Besides that, her shoes were still outside…leaving her barefoot.

"You perverted bastard. Is this how you get your jollies? Pickin' up girls from diners? Pathetic…"

"Actually I hoped that if I spoke to you for a moment you would stop glaring at me."

"Is that so? Sorry, I mistook the actions of a man as hospitality."

She grabbed her purse from the bar and started to head for the door of the diner. _What a pig! Just who does he think he is? _Just as she finished this thought, a young boy ran buy and knocked her shoes into the road. _Little jerk. He did that on purpose!_ And just as luck would have it, a large gasoline truck ran right over her shoes.

"Son of a bitch!" she exclaimed. Everyone turned to stare at her.

_Great! My shoes are wrecked, I got creeps with silver hair hitting on me, and I have no where to go. _She glanced behind her, giving everyone a glare before stamping off to the restroom.

"God, what do you want from me?" she asked, looking up at the ceiling.

"Hmph…How about a dry floor?" said a familiar voice from behind her.

She turned to see her boss, Suikotsu, with his arms crossed and a smile on his face. As much as she hated men, he didn't seem to fit in with the others. He acted as more of a guardian to her than a selfish, egotistical jerk.

"Sorry 'bout that. I'm having a real shit of a day." she said.

"I see. But, why are you so wet? And where are your shoes? And isn't today…" she cut him off.

"Can I just get a milkshake or somethin'?" She looked at him apologetically.

He chuckled and walked over to the counter. As he went, he threw the dishtowel that was on his shoulder to Kagura. She knew what he expected. Like a robot, she started wiping up the water on the floor. _Well, at least I'm gettin' a free shake. I don't know what I'm gonna do. How can I go home? _When Suikotsu started pumping the milkshake into a cup, he looked over to her as if she was crazy.

"I meant for you to wipe _yourself_ with that." he said with a smirk.

Kagura smiled and mouthed the word "sorry". She wasn't used to being treated so kindly. At home it was kill or be killed, basically. After 6 years of working at this diner, she still remembered how afraid she was on her first day. Nonetheless, she had grown to love it like a second home. The worst part was the men. She recalled countless situations when she had put a man in his place for making passes at her. One man had been audacious enough to reach for her bottom when she was serving drinks. He received a hard smack on the face. He had deserved it, too. Lately, her boss had been very protective over her if the men would ask him for her name or number. He had always reminded her of her mother. They shared the same caring look their eyes when Kagura did something wrong. Of course, her mother was gone. And this man was the closest thing she had to a real parent.

"Here you are, darlin'," he said, handing her the shake.

"Thanks." she replied.

Just then, they both heard a loud thump. She couldn't place where it had come from. When she found the source, she couldn't retain herself from busting a gut. There lied Mr. Long Hair himself. He had slipped in the water Kagura tracked in. He stood up with a blushed face. With a determined smile, she walked over to him.

"Have a nice trip?" She said with her hands on her hips. She could barely hold back her laughter.

While she enjoyed his humiliation, no one else seemed to be laughing. She looked back at Suikotsu. He shook his head at her and his face turned pale. _Am I the only one with a sense of humor around here? If it had been me, everyone would be laughin' it up!_ She walked over to her bewildered boss, determined for an explanation. He quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the kitchen.

"Are you out of you mind?" he said in a frustrated whisper.

"What? It was funny. Why didn't anyone laugh?"

"_He _is the most powerful man in this whole city! He could have my diner bulldozed with the snap of a finger! Oh, shit…" he stopped, developing a horrified look on his face.

"What? What's wrong?"

"What if he's hurt? He'll sue the hair off my balls! Oh, Kagura! You gotta do somethin'!" he exclaimed.

"Fuck," she said, raising a hand to her forehead.

"Look, I know you hate men, but can't you do this for me? I don't know what I'd do if I lost this place."

_What the hell have I done, now? Am I CRAZY?! Well I guess I gotta do somethin' for the poor guy. He's practically in tears. But how will I get that bastard with the hair on my good side? _As if a light bulb turned on in her head, she looked up and smiled. She had a plan that was sure to work. With a wink, she turned on one foot and strode over to the man who she would have to woo over. She didn't like it, but after all, she was a girl. It was in her nature to flirt with men. It would be easy, right?

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So there's my second chapter. Hope you liked it! Hopefully it won't take too long to get the other chapters up, but since my niece keeps staring at the screen, it's hard to type. So, until next time…


	3. Rennovations

Okay I made this while eating toaster strudles so I was in a funny mood. There might be some humor comin up! Or will there…grrr I hate having to type with someone practically sitting on your shoulders. I'm also happy about the good reviews! Lol anyways R&R please!

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She started to walk slower, not wanting to slip on her own puddles. _Okay, maybe if we have a good time, he'll forget all about it. But, what if he says no? No. That's not possible. He may be weird, but he's still a man. _She shook away all her amusement and put a, somewhat, concerned look on her face. He seemed to have noticed that she was coming toward him, for he started to walk away.

"Hey, wait!" she exclaimed, grabbing his wrist.

_Oh, man. I bet he's still mad at me. I can't do it. I can't just deceive him, 'cause it's wrong…What? What the hell am I saying?! I can't care about this creep more than the diner! I have to do this. It's now or never. _With a sigh, he turned to look at the hand clutching him. Raising one eyebrow, he lifted his wrist with her hand in the air.

"Is there a reason that you're trying to ruin my afternoon?"

"What?" She pulled her hand away.

"You really are as dense as you look." With that, he opened the door and left.

She stood there, wide-eyed and shocked. _But I was…Why he…That was so… _And for probably the first time in her life, she couldn't come up with a good insult to describe him. He was different from anyone she had ever met. He didn't seem to care that he had hurt her feelings, yet he had tried to be nice before. Could it be that she had hurt his feelings, as well? _No, that oaf can't have feelings. He's too cold. Stone cold. Look at me, I try to apologize and he walks off. He's not getting' away without listenin' to me first! To hell with the diner!_

She opened the door and looked around for him, but he was gone. She hadn't been paying particular attention to where he was going, anyway. _This is great. Now I feel bad. I should at least try and find him so I can say sorry. Wait, why would I do that? He was the one being an ass. I'll find him! He can't have gone too far. _She started to run down the street with her hands over her head to prevent more rain from drenching her. It wasn't exactly working, though. Just then, someone came up from behind her and put a wet cloth to her mouth. It tasted disgusting, and she suddenly started to get dizzy. Then, there was someone holding her. She looked up to see who it was, but everything went black.

Kagura slowly started to open her eyes. She tried to focus on her surroundings, but she was suffering from a terrible headache. It seemed that someone tall had come to stand beside her. She flinched when she felt a hand on her forehead.

"Whe-where am I?" she said, trying to look around.

"You're safe now. Stay still." She had heard this voice before. It couldn't be…

As fate would have it, she looked up to see a pair of golden eyes looking down at her. He had a few scratches on his face that hadn't been there earlier today. She closed her eyes when she felt a warm cloth being pressed to her cheek. _What in the world is going on? Where am I? Why is __he__ here, of all people? _Then, she remembered someone coming up behind her and someone had carried her away. A fearful thought crept into her mind.

"Why are you here? Where are we?" She found it incredibly difficult to lift her head, but she eventually succeeded.

"After I left the diner, I went to my car. I figured it was you coming out to say something to me when I heard the door opening, so I turned around. Then, some thug came up from behind and tried to kidnap you. You're quite lucky I happened to be there. The street seemed to be deserted."

It was just too much to sink in all at once. _So, someone had tried to kidnap me. But why did this guy save me? No one has ever done anything like that for me. I guess I should apologize for earlier. _She bent her head down when she felt tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I don't even know your name." she said through clenched teeth.

"My name is Sesshoumaru. I don't think you ever told me yours."

She used one hand to wipe away her tears and looked up. _Maybe he is different. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try and trust him. Heck, we might even…_She shook away any unnecessary thoughts. She couldn't trust men. She had tried in the past and it had failed miserably.

"I'm Kagura," she said, sticking out her hand.

After they shook hands, she used both elbows to prop herself up. Looking around, she realized that this guy had to be loaded. There was a red, leather furniture set in the other room right in front of a fireplace. There were pictures of him and a small girl mounted on top of it. This girl, she looked so familiar. Maybe he wasn't as lonely as she thought. There were fancy paintings on the wall, and an umbrella holder in the shape of a chipmunk in front of the black door. She assumed this door led to outside (mental note). He noticed the way she was looking at the front door. He lightly chuckled.

"And what's so damn funny?" she said, pulling her eyes from the door to look at him.

"You won't need to be making escape plans. I'm not dangerous."

"Hmph, and why should I trust you?"

"I may have saved your life, for one."

"Well, you're not exactly the 'prince on the white horse' type," she scoffed.

"You aren't exactly 'sleeping beauty' yourself."

He stood up and walked through a door that revealed a refrigerator on the other side. It must be the kitchen. Just as soon, he came back out with a glass of water and two small tablets. _What is this? Is it some kind of peace offering?_

"It's just Aspirin. I assume you have a minor headache," he said, as if reading her mind.

She snatched the cup away from him, studying the water inside. _It seems safe enough. Why is he being nice again? It's freakin' me out. _She quickly threw the tablets in her mouth and followed with water. Wiping her mouth, she tried to stand in order to return the glass to the kitchen.

"I can do that," he sighed, taking the cup.

She tried to take a step but her legs betrayed her, landing her back on the soft sofa. A small "oof" escaped her lips. _I'm not weak! No one is gonna take stuff from me like that! _Looking around, she found a small white pillow where her head had been. She hurled it at him with all her strength.

"Come back here!" she exclaimed.

The pillow had landed a blow right on the back of his head. He stopped in his tracks, but continued to the kitchen. She had heard a few curses before door shut. Laughing to herself, she decided that he mustn't be all that dangerous. Okay, maybe she was going to give him a chance. He walked back out of the kitchen, picked up the abused pillow and dusted it off before tossing it back onto the sofa.

"I can't have you assaulting me with my own furniture," he said as he sat down beside her.

"All work and no play make Sesshy a boring boy, "she said, flashing one of her most charming grins.

He looked at her, half-amused. _If I'm extra nice to him, he might let me stay for a few days. I can save up money from work…work? I almost forgot! I gotta make sure this shlub doesn't shut down the diner. _Now, she just has to make him like her, at least a little bit. But how was she going to do that? _I got it! _And with that thought, she wrapped both arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder.

"You haven't even allowed me to thank you properly," she said, seductively.

For some reason, she felt safe. This feeling was the same as when she used snuggle up to her mother after a nightmare. He seemed so tense and afraid. Eventually, he relaxed his muscles and sighed.

"Is it money that you want?" he said, waking her from her trance.

"Wha-what do you mean?!" She pulled herself away from him and slapped his chest.

"I know by now that you're not one that likes to show affection, so you obviously want something."

How did he know she had wanted something? Was it really obvious? _Out of all people, why did he have to save me? He's such a cold fish! He's confusing, rude, tall, muscular…What am I thinking?! Ahhhhh! This isn't good. _She looked away and crossed her arms, much like a child would do. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to just ask him. She couldn't handle this cat and mouse game any longer!

"Fine, I'll be honest. I work at _Suikotsu's Diner _and I was going to ask you to please not get it put out of business. It's just like my home and my boss would be devastated. It's the only place-" she stopped herself before she revealed too much personal information.

"Why on earth would I do that? I don't interact in unnecessary conflicts. And it's the only place…what?" he said, trying to coax the rest of the statement out of her.

"It's the only place that accepts me, if you must know. And since you don't like unnecessary conflicts, why'd you interfere with mine?" She turned to glare at him.

That was one question that hadn't even crossed his mind. He had felt obligated to pound that thug to the ground when he had snuck up on Kagura. But, why _did _he do it? That was a question that neither of them seemed to have an answer to. He quickly tried to change the subject.

"I suppose I'll need to watch over you for the night, considering your condition. I'll get a change of clothing for you when you decide to shower. The washing machine is right through the kitchen and you'll be sleeping in my bed. I will be sleeping on the cot in the guest bedroom. You'll find that my bed is much more comfortable," he said in one breath.

_He's givin' up his bed for me? I wouldn't sleep on a cot in my own house. No chance! And what does he have for me to change into? But one thing's for sure, he is all alone in this house. It's kinda sad when you think about it. _She tried to stand from the sofa again, but failed yet again. Before she knew it, she was being lifted up by an unknown force. She looked over to realize that he had swept one arm gently under her neck, and the other was lifting her legs. In one scoop, she was being cradled like a baby against his chest. She saw her limp legs dangling from his arm and figured there was no reason to fight him. It did feel comforting being in his presence. As long as he didn't try anything, she was at ease.

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Okay so that's the end of chapter 3. It's a bit longer than the others, but I put a lot of time into it.

So until next time, R&R!


	4. Slumber Party

Well, I woke up extra early this morning to fill in a few chapters before everyone woke up. Hopefully I'm not too sleepy to pay attention! Lol okay so R&R (I will accept any ideas that are thrown at me)

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It seemed like an eternity before they finally got to their destination. He had carried her up two flights of steps and then down a huge hallway to get to the bedroom. _How can he live here all alone? I would go insane!_ She noticed that he had hesitated to put her down when they reached the bed. She looked beside her and noticed that there was a pair of green shorts and a white t-shirt awaiting her on the covers. He left the room for a moment to let her get changed. The sheets were dark blue, and what she guessed was Egyptian cotton. It was so soft and comforting. She suddenly felt a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach.

"Um, are you sure about this? I don't mind cots. At my house, my dad makes me sleep on the floor since I outgrew my bed." After a moment, she realized what she had said.

She looked away in embarrassment. _Now he probably thinks I'm trash. Nice goin' dipshit! Why am I even talking? As if he wants to hear what I say…_

"Well, this should be a good change for you. Besides, it won't hurt for me to sleep there for a night. Are you unhappy with it?" He had a tone of understanding in his voice.

She looked at him with narrowed eyes. She didn't know what to think. In the past, if someone had heard about the way her father treated her, they would look at her in disgust. _Okay, very funny. When will I be waking up? Either Naraku killed me in my sleep or I'm dreaming. _She shrugged a shoulder, not wanting to answer him. He turned to leave. She started to feel alone again. She didn't want him to leave.

"Don't go!" she exclaimed. "I mean, uh, I just…"

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. _STUPID! IDIOT! WHY? WHY? WHY? Leave it to me and my big- ass mouth. Okay, when is he gonna start laughin' at me?_ He turned to leave again.

"I'll be back," he said calmly.

With that, he was gone. Her heart started to beat harder in her chest. She had never felt so vulnerable in her whole life. She couldn't stand up, much less walk. _What if Naraku found out where I am? Would he kill Sesshoumaru? Would he kill…me?_ She tried to clear her mind of any fear of being found. Just when her anxiety was starting to take over, she heard a squeaking noise coming towards the bedroom. Her heart was beating faster and her breath was quickening. _It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination. He said he'd be back. He'll be back any minute. When will he be back? Why isn't he here yet?! _Her fear of being alone was reawakening after her long day of events. She looked around for some type of defense. There was a thick book lying on the bedside table. She picked it up and looked at the door. The squeaking hadn't ceased. It was getting closer by the second.

"I'll just hit whoever it is with the book and crawl out the door. Yeah, that'll work," She whispered to herself.

The squeaking finally came to a halt right outside the room. She raised her arm and aimed the book. There was a flash of silver in the doorway. With a grunt, she threw the book with all of her strength at the silver intruder. It seemed to have dodged the weapon and stayed outside the door. She paused, with her hand still in the air and her eyes wide. The intruder didn't move from their spot and remained silent until…

"Kagura," he said.

So the intruder was…Sesshoumaru? _Woopsie daisy! Hah, too bad I missed. _She laughed to herself. Then anger took over. Why was he being so quiet? And what was that squeaking noise?

"You-you idiot! You scared the livin' shit outa me! What are you doin' sneakin' around like that? I almost had a heart attack!" she exclaimed.

"I'm going to strap your hands down if you insist on pretending to be a little-leaguer with my belongings."

"I thought you was my-…I thought you was a ghost, or sumthin'. Besides, it's your own fault for makin' that scary noise!"

He walked into the room and replaced the book on the table. He seemed to be pulling something. It was the cot! _Is-is he coming to keep me company? Well, he should be. I am the guest, after all. _When it was in all the way, he unfolded it and straightened out the blankets. It wasn't a very big area for a grown man to sleep on. Nonetheless, it was he who had decided to sleep on it. He walked over to the bed and leaned down to reach for a pillow, coming dangerously close to Kagura's face. Shocked at how close he was, she grabbed the pillow that was in his hand and pulled. She figured he would release it, but instead he stood up and pulled harder. Relieved that he was out of her face, she smiled and started pulling with her full strength.

"I don't have any," he said as he tried to pry her fingers from the pillow.

"I had it first!"

This had been going on for about five minutes when Kagura's hands started to grow weak. _Well, if he wants it so bad, I'll let him have it. _Just when Sesshoumaru tugged a little harder on the pillow with both hands, Kagura decided to let go. His eyes widened as he stumbled backwards, landing on the cot behind him. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"I felt generous," she said with a smile.

_I knew he'd do that. Never knows when to give up. _He instantly put on his stone façade again and got up to turn off the lights. She could hear every move he made as he found his way to the cot. She couldn't help but laugh aloud. He seemed so smooth most of the time, but his height made him clumsy. He was just like a tall, muscular, teddy bear.

"Goodnight," he said, a little easier than before.

"Sweet dreams," she said with a yawn.

She couldn't help but toss and turn in bed. The injury Naraku had inflicted on her ribs had been forgotten up until now. She found it increasingly difficult to get comfortable in any position she tried. For a moment, she considered waking Sesshoumaru up. _That's pointless. What can he do? Hug me and tell me everything's gonna be alright? Fat chance! As if I'd want him to, anyway. _Getting tired of changing positions, she decided she had nothing left to do but ask for "help".

"Hey," she whispered roughly. Nothing happened. "Pssst!" Still nothing.

She didn't know how else to wake him up but by force. Feeling around in the dark, she found what she had been looking for. With a sigh, she threw the same book from earlier in his direction. There was a combination of noises after this: _thump, snort, shuffle, thud, rattle, and click! _The sudden burst of light caused her to cover her face with the blanket. She finally adjusted to the brightness and looked up at a very aggravated and exhausted Sesshoumaru.

"Ever heard the phrase, 'sight for sore eyes?" she asked, smirking at him.

"What could you possibly want at this hour?" he asked, replacing the book to the table.

"Well, I couldn't sleep 'cause my ribs hurt again. I tried to wake you up easily but you wouldn't." she said innocently.

"Wait here." He sighed and walked out of the room.

_The look on his face, I won't ever forget it! Wonder where he went? Hope he comes back soon. Wait, what am I thinking? I have got to stop being such a baby._ She heard feet thudding down the hallway. _It's just Sesshoumaru. It's not Naraku. It's not Naraku. Come on girl, stop being scared of everything! _She picked up the book and aimed it again, just in case. To her relief, it was Sesshoumaru. He quickly stepped back out into the hallway when he noticed the book aimed at his head. _Oh, oops. I got a little carried away again. _She gently replaced the book to the table and waited for him to come in. He poked his head in to make sure there wasn't an ambush inside. On seeing the book back on the table, he walked in.

"This one will help you sleep, and this one kills the pain," he said, pointing to the different pills in his hand.

"Thanks," she replied, and gulped down the medicine.

He took the glass from her hand and sat it on the table. He had a rather confused look on his face. Out of nowhere, he reached over and started to pull up her shirt. _What?! Is he serious?! _ Since he hadn't explained his actions, he received a hard smack on the face. He pulled away from her, looking shocked.

"Are you _slow_?! Just what do you take me for? Sure, give me a little medicine, a warm bed-" he cut her off.

"Kagura," he said sternly. She ignored him and kept going.

"-carry me around like I'm some kind of princess…You can't go around messin' with people's emotions, ya know! To think that I actually thought you were-" he placed a finger over her lips.

"I was just going to check your ribs. You never told me that they were injured," he said.

They sat for a moment, looking at each other. She didn't know what to think. She felt like a fool for telling him off like that. When he finally moved his finger away from her lips, she felt an invisible force pulling her towards him. Their faces were getting too close. She couldn't stop herself. _Snap out of it!! _Realizing what was happening, she pulled away. _Now he's gonna think I don't like him…But I don't, do I? _She felt heat rushing through her cheeks and knew that she must be blushing. He continued to look at her, not quite realizing what had almost happened. He decided to break the silence.

"Are you going to let me see?" he said, a little out of breath.

"Right, I'm sorry." She hesitantly started to pull up her shirt.

She felt electricity shoot throughout her whole body when he touched her. His hands were firm, yet soft. How could she have come to trust a man that she had just met? Was it fate?

"They seem to be internally bruised," he inquired.

"Oh…" she sighed.

He got up and turned off the lights. She listened to him as he found his way to the cot. She felt like nothing could hurt her while he was near. Why did she feel this way about him? He's practically a stranger!

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There's chapter 4! I'm currently working on 5 and 6 at the same time so they will be coming up soon. Until next time…R&R! (darn my nosy niece!)


	5. Breakfast Battle

Happy belated Fourth of July! I'm in an extra good mood so this will probably be the longest chapter I've made. Hope you enjoy it…R&R!

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Kagura kept her mind drifting back-and-forth. She was completely exhausted, but she knew that her ritual of nightmares awaited her. She had found it easy to go back to sleep after a bad dream when her mother was around. But now, she had no one to comfort her. No one to rock her until the crying stopped. After battling her eyes for quite some time, she finally let them close.

_Kagura was a child again and Naraku's footsteps could be heard in the hallway. She knew why he was coming to her. Earlier that day, she had found it irresistible to doodle on the new bathroom door. The last one had been busted in by her father when he and Muzaki were arguing. Kagura knew what was going to happen to her when he found her hiding. She was in the closet, knees to her chest, under a blanket that had been handmade by her mother. She could hear someone telling him to get some rest, that the punishment could be handled differently. But, no. Only Naraku could "properly" punish her. She tried to pretend she was in a big garden of flowers, where no one could reach her. It was as if she was the wind, itself. Maybe one day, she really could be as free as the wind. Her thoughts were interrupted when someone roughly yanked her up by her hair. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the pain. Her toddler table had been crushed underneath her. The pain in her side was practically unbearable, but she never even flinched. This would anger her father. He wouldn't stop until she cried. It was the same every time. Just as she felt herself on the verge of tears…_

"Kagura," She felt a hand on her shoulder.

_Oh, no. I must've been screaming in my sleep again. _She figured he would be angry for being awoken by her again. To her surprise, he had a kind and slightly concerned look in his eyes. The only other person that had ever looked at her in such a way was her mother. She figured that she was misinterpreting his reaction for annoyance. _Damn it, I'm getting' sick of apologizing to this creep. Why didn't he just ignore me? _

"I'm sorry to wake you, but you were-" she cut him off.

"Sorry if I disturbed you. I can sleep downstairs if you want. I can get really loud sometimes, and you need your sleep." she said, sitting up.

He held up a hand in protest. The other was still resting on her shoulder. She had to admit, it was a change from Naraku's way of waking her. She was used to a hard kick in the stomach. _I wonder what he thinks of me, now. _ He raised his head to look at her. His eyes were studying her face, as if he wanted to ask her something.

"I don't know what kind of people you're used to, and I don't know what kind of person you think _I _am. However, you need to start trusting me eventually." He didn't look away from her eyes.

"I just thought that it might've bothered you. I'm sorry-" he stopped her by putting one arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

"Stop apologizing when it isn't necessary."

She didn't know what to say. Muzaki was the only other person that had ever tried to comfort her like this. Overwhelmed by emotion, she put her face in his chest and let go of her tears. It seemed to be hours before her sobs finally subsided. When her breathing had started to slow, he looked down to find that she was asleep. Unable to untangle her hands from his shirt and hair, he laid back with her in his arms. His original intention had been to keep her content until he could pull away. Surprisingly, he felt himself hesitant to leave her embrace. Her body felt so warm against his. Deciding that the effort of moving was too great, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Kagura woke to feel someone beneath her. It would have been misleading to anyone who might've walked in on them. Both of her hands were thoroughly entwined in his hair, her legs were straddled across his waist, and her head was lying on his chest. She looked up to see Sesshoumaru's sleeping face. His eyes were closed and his lips were parted slightly. She had never seen him in such a peaceful state. She couldn't help but smile to herself. _It's not much, but it's the closest thing to emotion I've seen on him. Let's see, I must've cried myself to sleep last night. But, why is he in the bed with me? Maybe he thought I'd have another nightmare. I guess I should move. _

She lifted her body as slowly as she could, trying not to wake him. She hadn't noticed the hand on her back until she felt it sliding down. It startled her when he opened his eyes, making her sit up straight. It took him a few moments to notice the position they were in. Not only was she straddling his waste, but his hand was resting on her bottom. She hadn't yet registered that his hand had slid that low, but when she did…_Whack! _

"Pervert!" she screamed, smacking him across the face.

He quickly moved his hand away, raising it to his burning cheek. He couldn't help but to feel amused by her actions.

"Who's straddling who, here?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"But I didn't…you're the one…I never tried…" she stuttered.

She hopped off of him so quickly that it took her a second to realize her legs had regained their strength. _Well it's about damn time! I wasn't about to have this jerk helpin' me into the bath…_She shook away her thoughts. Feeling a pang of hunger in her stomach, she decided that she would make breakfast. It didn't matter if he wanted her to or not. Since she had spent the night, it was only fair if she prepared the meals for the day. After all, today might be the last time they ever see each other. He sat up, confused by her actions.

"I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat, and don't try to stop me." she said, walking out of the bedroom.

On her way downstairs, she noticed that the shower was running. _I guess he isn't gonna stop me. Well, he better have some good food!_ When she reached the kitchen, it didn't take long to figure out witch cabinets the food was kept in. Everything had a small label of its contents above it. _Oh, this has got to go! I knew he was organized, but this is crazy. _She went to every cabinet she could find and removed the labels. After discarding them, she decided that she would make her favorite breakfast.

The outcome of her creation, she decided, was truly amazing. The small, square table in the dining room, (it was right beside the kitchen), was completely covered in food. In front of two seats, there were miniature pancakes that were decorated with chocolate chips and strawberries to make smiley faces. The middle of the table was scattered with plates of bacon, sausage, biscuits, and some extra pancakes. There was also a large pitcher of orange juice and a paper carton of milk. While searching for glasses to drink from, she came across two that had caught her eye. They both had a picture of a small boy and girl holding hands in a large field of flowers. Everything was still piping hot, so she figured that there was enough time to take a quick shower before it became cold.

She ran back up the steps to ask for some clean clothes to change into. He had already gotten out of the shower and dressed. She found him standing in the bedroom, staring into space. Surprisingly, he found a small, white sundress for her. It had spaghetti straps and was decorated with big, red flowers. He told her that it had been his mothers. She didn't bother asking why he had it, or what happened to her. It seemed best to abandon the subject. She finished her shower and dressed with remarkable speed. Her hair was still damp when she made it back to the dining room. She found Sesshoumaru looking at the meal with a strange expression. He hadn't noticed her in the doorway. She thought she saw a small smile spread across his lips when he looked at the miniature pancakes with faces. She decided to make her presence know by yawning. He turned to look at her, then back at the table.

"This is…interesting," he said, sitting in a seat.

Kagura smiled and joined him. He picked up the cup that was in front of him. He seemed to be thinking hard. _He acts like he's never seen something fun. Actually, he probably hasn't!_ After some time, they finally finished the large amount of food she had prepared. He wouldn't admit it, but it had been the best breakfast he had ever had. He figured that she was full of surprises. Afterwards, they had washed the dishes together, which was even more _interesting._ Kagura washed, while Sesshoumaru rinsed and dried. Any time he turned around she would place her thumb over the faucet and drench him with water. She thought it was hilarious until he sprayed her back. He put up a hand in protest, trying to prevent another mess to clean. But, it was too late. She had already filled a cup with water and lifted it above his head. Before he could stop her, the cold, soapy liquid was running down his face and hair.

"Oops," she said, smirking at him.

Now it was war! He quickly filled another cup with water, intending to pour it on her. Noticing his actions, she sat her glass down and turned to run out of the room. She suddenly felt herself sliding toward the wall at full speed. She closed her eyes, expecting her face to collide with solid wood. In the blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru came in-between her and the wall. Instead of busting her nose, she slammed into something soft, and wet. He flinched when he felt her nails dig into his chest. She opened her eyes to see Sesshoumaru standing in front of her. She had put her hands up to block herself, but had instead landed them on his chest. She pulled them away, seeing how hard her nails were digging into his skin. Not wanting the moment to be awkward, she reached her hand up and flicked him on the nose.

He had just realized how close their bodies were and tried to slide away. New feelings were awakening in him. It felt as if someone had lit millions of butterflies on fire and released them into his stomach. She saw that he was uncomfortable and developed a plan. He had a thick layer of ice around him, and she wanted to break it. She would be doing him a favor if she cracked him. _It's like he doesn't have any hormones at all! He'll never be happy if he doesn't open up a little. Wait…I hate men! I can't do that. But, he's different from other guys. I've never even had a boyfriend, though. _Her thoughts were coming and going too fast to comprehend. What if she really did care about this jerk? It could be her only chance to escape. Maybe, just maybe, he could help her…or they could help each other. Feeling aggravated from her mental battle, she decided to go on intuition. She reached up and placed a hand on the back of his neck.

"What are you…?" She cut him off.

"You'll have to trust me eventually," she said, quoting him.

She still felt unsure of herself. All feelings of doubt, however, disappeared when she saw him close his eyes. That familiar force was pulling their faces closer and closer. She closed her eyes and…

"_Knock! Knock! Knock!" _

It was so sudden that they almost fell on the floor. Kagura quickly turned and took a few steps away. Awakening from his trance, Sesshoumaru left the room to answer the door. _Oh, my God! What just happened? It's like my mind went stupid! I'm glad somethin' stopped me. He'll pay for this later! _She decided to go and see who was at the door. What she saw made her legs turn to jelly. _Oh, no…_

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Ooh, who could it be? Guess you'll have to wait 'til the next chapter! evil laugh Anyways, please R&R!


	6. A Visitor?

Sorry about the cliffhanger…not really! Muahahahaha!! So who was at the door? Read on to find out. By the way, thank you guys for all the good reviews! I might even put a little plot twist in here to make it interesting, so please R&R!

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Sesshoumaru looked at the visitor with frustration. Not sure what to do, Kagura turned, trying to hide her face. Then, an all too familiar, and somewhat shrewd, voice spoke up.

"Hey, tell your dad I can't baby-sit tomorrow. My mother-" She stopped when she noticed Kagura. "I can't believe it; a woman in your house?! I haven't been this shocked since the time I saw you playin' dress-up with that brat! So, what's the name?" she gestured to Kagura.

_Out of all the places in the world, why'd she have to see me here? I'll never live this one down._ Placing a fake smile on her face, she turned to look at her friend.

"Damn small world, huh Tsubaki?" she said nonchalantly, raising a hand.

The guest seemed baffled. She never remembered Kagura mentioning anything about a _man._ Out of all the people in the world, Tsubaki would have never guessed that her best friend would be at her boss's son's house. The only person she had seen him enjoy being around was that little brat, Rin. She considered many different solutions in her mind, but declined them all. It made no sense. Tsubaki had nothing to say. Even though she would usually bombard Kagura with questions, the look on her friend's face told her that it could wait.

"Well, it's good seein' you in some cute clothes. Shows off your figure," she said, winking.

"Thanks," she answered. Somehow Tsubaki knew that the compliment to her dress hadn't been what she acknowledged.

Sesshoumaru motioned for Tsubaki to come in, his face as plain as ever. _He wouldn't show emotion if I shoved a tree up his ass! But nevermind him, now's a good time to ask Tsubaki if I can stay with her after her mom leaves. _Kagura sat on the leather couch, beckoning for her friend to join her.

"I take it you two know each other," Sesshoumaru said, intending to enter the kitchen.

"Get us somethin' to drink, will ya?" Tsubaki asked, waving her hand.

He narrowed his eyes to show his disapproval of being told what to do. Nonetheless, he continued to the kitchen. While Sesshoumaru was out of earshot, Kagura decided she would tell Tsubaki about her strange story of fate, (if that's what you wanna call it). She seemed to listen with full attention as Kagura spoke. By the time she was finished, Tsubaki was staring at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. She snapped out of her daze, apparently wanting to ask her share of questions.

"Did he really have labels on _all _the cabinets?" she asked, raising a hand to her cheek.

Kagura had expected her to demand an explanation as to why she had trusted a complete stranger to take her in, especially since this particular stranger happened to be a man. She was shocked by Tsubaki's lack of protest to the whole ordeal. In another sense, she was happy that her best friend wasn't rejecting her decisions. Sesshoumaru came out, holding two glasses filled with what seemed to be wine. They took them without acknowledging his presence. He seemed displeased by their unappreciative attitude, but decided to join them anyway. Kagura looked up to see him sitting in the chair across from them, but quickly tore her eyes away. For some reason, she felt embarrassed whenever she looked at him. _Ugh, is this bastard just gonna sit there and listen to us? It's not like Mr. 'Social' will try to associate with anything other than a book. _Contradicting her thoughts, Sesshoumaru decided to ask an important question.

"Since you are seemingly close to this woman, would it be possible for you to stay with her?" Kagura was surprised that he had been so blunt, much less speak at all.

_That son of a bitch! It's not as if I want to stay here, but he doesn't have to blurt shit out like that! He acts like I'm a bother to him, when he's the one who insisted that I stay! Well, maybe I will go. He's just another flower petal in the wind. Impossible to ignore, but easy to forget. _He looked at her with an unreadable expression. She turned to Tsubaki, who had an apologetic look in her eyes.

"Well, my mom's decided to stay for a few months, and I've only got one bedroom in my apartment. I would love havin' you at my place but there's just no room right now. I'm really sorry," she said.

"Don't sweat it. I'll be fine as long as Naraku doesn't know where I am."

Tsubaki figured that her mother would throw a fit if she stayed out for too long, so she cut the visit short. Kagura followed her to the door as they said their goodbyes. With one last apology, Tsubaki was gone. _I guess he doesn't want me here, after all. It's not as if it matters to me. It wasn't exactly my choice to come here in the first place. _Kagura was still angry so she decided to go upstairs. Sesshoumaru watched her leave, noticing the strange look on her face. He couldn't place whether it was disappointment or sorrow. After a moment of contemplation, he decided that she must be upset for the rejection of her friend. He, however, had not been able to tear his mind away from that morning's occurrence.

(Sesshoumaru's P.O.V)

_What would've happened if we hadn't been interrupted? More importantly, why was I letting it happen? Many women have tried to kiss me before, but I had been quick to stop them. This arrogant woman can't be any different from all the others. Well, it doesn't matter. Her actions are not something I should have concern for. She is a stranger, after all. A stranger with no interest in men. An attractive stranger…_

Meanwhile, Kagura was lying on the bed with her face in a pillow. Her own thoughts had consumed her consciousness, as well. Apparently, she hadn't stopped thinking about the morning's strange events either.

(Kagura's P.O.V)

_Stupid jerk! I was gonna ask Tsubaki eventually, but he had to ruin it. I might've convinced her to change her mind if that bastard hadn't said anything! Am I really just a waste of his time? And I went through all that trouble making breakfast. We even, that is, he tried to…no. He's such a wet towel. George Bush would pull the troops out before Sesshoumaru kissed a woman. Then again, he is pretty handsome. I'll bet a lot of chicks have put the moves on him. He's probably had tons of girlfriends, too. I feel like such a fool. To think that he'd try to kiss me, it's ridiculous. Although, he can't be a day over twenty-five, (when hormones are at their best), and he hasn't even tried to grab my ass. Wait! What if he's…gay?!_

Kagura laughed to herself at the thought. After a while, she found that she couldn't stop laughing. She had never been this amused. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed this much. She figured that her pent up frustrations had chosen a new way to relieve themselves. Or, it could just be the alcohol. Either way, it felt good to let out her emotions somehow. It was definitely more enjoyable than crying.

Downstairs, Sesshoumaru was trying to ignore the booming laughter that was illuminating from his bedroom. Every time it seemed to die down a bit, he would continue to his book, only to be startled by another high-pitched wail. It was unbearable. He slammed down his book and charged up the stairs.

Kagura heard footsteps coming toward her. _It's probably 'tight ass' coming to tell me to shut up so he can finish making love to his novel. _She turned to see him standing in the doorway, narrowing his eyes at her. Thinking about him had been enough to enthrall her laughter, but seeing him was a whole different story. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth, trying to muffle her voice.

"Is that necessary?" he asked, taking a step into the room.

"Go…away! I'm gonna…bust!" she exclaimed in-between spurts of laughter.

Sesshoumaru continued towards her until they were within reaching distance of each other. He was curious as to what had caused her sudden amusement of him. After watching her many failed attempts at standing up, (she had somehow ended up on the floor), he reached out to help her. She quickly took his hand and pulled herself up, only to fall again. He sighed, aggravated at her continuous laughing. It was almost amusing to him, watching her try to stand. He found himself fighting back a small smile. Unfortunately, she noticed this and started to cackle even louder.

"Damn it…just help me…get up!" She began to talk through her laughs again.

Rolling his eyes, he bent down and put each of his hands under her arms. He had successfully pulled her into a standing position. Suddenly, she was falling on top of him and he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was lying underneath her shaking body. They had fallen onto the bed. She clenched his shirt with both hands and buried her face into his chest. Her intentions had been to muffle her wails, and eventually surpress them. After a long while of gut-wrenching laughter, she regained control. Wiping her eyes on his shirt, she looked up to see his face. She figured he would be wearing that same nervous look as this morning. To her surprise, he was fast asleep! _How did he fall asleep through all that? What a jerk. _

Kagura felt relieved from her sudden laughing fit and a little tired, as well. _I'll just close my eyes for a minute… _She laid her head back down and closed her watery eyes. An instant later, her eyes flew open. She could feel a bulge that was continuously growing against her lower stomach. She quickly raised her head to look at him again. _But, he's asleep! _ Her eyes widened when she saw his mouth moving.

"Kagura…" he mumbled in his sleep.

To her, it was completely horrifying. _He's havin' dirty dreams about me?! I knew he couldn't be gay! _

"You pervert!" she screamed in his face.

He sat up with a start, making the two bump heads with extreme force. Only to add to the throbbing pain in his forehead, he felt a hand come in contact with his right cheek. Now he had a headache and one whole side of his face was tingling in pain. He looked up to the culprit of his discomfort. One of her hands was vigorously rubbing her forehead and the other was preparing to slap him again. He quickly grabbed her wrist, wondering why she was being so violent. Then, he remembered his dream: _Kagura's wet body was pressing against his, making his mind go blank. Her face kept coming closer; he closed his eyes. _Shaking his head, he came back into reality. Though, their position wasn't much different. Anyway, he figured that he had merely said something in his sleep to make her angry. But, what _did _he say?

"Are you ever calm?" he asked, letting go of her wrist.

"What do you care? You don't even like me being here!" she exclaimed, turning to avoid his gaze.

He couldn't believe what he had heard. He wondered if she really did want to stay with him. Though, how could she think he didn't care? He had provided her with shelter, all the food she can eat, and his _own _bed! It wasn't something he was going to openly admit, but he was somewhat glad when Tsubaki turned her down.

"Is that what you think? I merely thought that you would be more comfortable living with someone you know, rather than a stranger-" she cut him off, still looking away.

"But you're not a stranger," He seemed taken aback by the sudden softness of her voice.

He put his hand under her chin and turned her head to face him. He hadn't seen this expression from her before. Her eyes looked warm and friendly, much like the way his mother used to look at him. He knew that there was a nicer side to Kagura, but never thought he'd live to see it. Once again, those flaming butterflies had been released in his stomach. She returned her head to his chest, wrapping her arms around his back. His arms ventured until they were draped around her back, as well. He let out a long breath, enjoying the warmth of her body against his. He knew that he would start dreaming again if he dozed off, but couldn't fight his sudden urge to sleep. Suddenly, Kagura's eyes flew open. _This pervert's more hormonal than I thought. _She looked up, only to see that he was sleeping again…_**Whack!**_

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XP Aren't I evil? Wow…this was a mushy chapter. Anyway, the next one is going to involve Sesshoumaru and Kagura's first "date", or whatever you would call it. Please R&R to let me know what you think!


	7. First Date

Sorry it took so long to update. I've had some family problems that I won't burden you with. Anyways, this is Kagura and Sesshoumaru's first 'date'. Hope you enjoy it! Oh, and please R&R.

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And just to be on the safe side, I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters (if only lol) or Dairy Queen.

The next day, the two were finding it seemingly difficult to look each other in the eye. They acted like it would blind them to simply glance at one another. Kagura was getting pretty annoyed with the whole ordeal. After all, she had nothing to be shy about. She didn't care if he was dreaming about her. Sesshoumaru happened to be equally irritated. He did feel slightly embarrassed that she knew he had dreamt about her, but there was no reason to be avoiding each other this way. It was a one time thing and it would never happen again, (hopefully). It's not as though he had feelings for her. Yet, he disliked the fact that they weren't talking. He looked away from his book to see Kagura standing over him.

"It's too damn boring here. Can we go somewhere?" she asked in a soft, but stern voice.

"Where do you wish to go?" he asked.

"How the fuck should I know? I don't even know where we are!" She returned to her usual, loud self.

"Well, I heard that the town is hosting a street fair this evening," Her eyes lit up at the thought.

"I've never been to a fair! I mean, I've heard about them but I was never allowed to go. What time does it start?"

"Around five o'clock, I assume," he answered.

She quickly turned and headed upstairs to get ready. _A fair! I've always wanted to go to one. The best part is that Naraku definitely won't be there. What should I wear? _Sesshoumaru had supplied her with a large crate of clothes that used to belong to his mother. All of the dresses were beautiful, and probably expensive. After a while of pondering, Kagura picked out a pair of dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt with small black stars around the bottom. It was a bit childish and not exactly her choice of clothing, but still kind of cute. Besides, it was the only thing she could find that wasn't too dressy. She took a long shower, allowing herself time to shave. Luckily, her favorite make-up had been in her handbag the day she came here. She applied the usual: hot-pink eye shadow, black mascara and eyeliner, and dark red lip gloss. Feeling a little daring, she decided to wear her hair down for a change. Only on rare occasions had Kagura taken her hair out of the messy bun that she often wore. Her hair was naturally curly and hung down her back in long, brown locks. She eventually opened the door and went to the bedroom.

"You'll do," she said, looking in the full-body mirror. Then, there was a voice from downstairs.

"Time isn't going backwards, Kagura."

"Shove it up your ass!" she yelled back.

She glanced at the small alarm clock on the dresser. _Damn, it's five already? Guess we better hurry. That bastard, he's always telling me what to do._ After retrieving her jacket from the closet, she headed downstairs. She looked around but didn't see Sesshoumaru anywhere. Walking into the living room, she found him leaning against the door. He was wearing dark brown pants and a red, long-sleeved shirt that buttoned up in the front. Three buttons at the top were left undone, revealing a small portion of his smooth and well-defined chest. His long hair was flowing freely around his shoulders. Kagura looked down at herself. _I look a mess compared to him. You can't even tell how long I spent getting ready. If he so much as smirks at me, I'll knock his head off! _She walked up and punched him in the arm.

"Time isn't goin' backwards, Sesshy." He flinched at hearing the ridiculous nickname she had chosen for him.

"Do you have to address me-?" He stopped, noticing her face.

He had never seen her in make-up before. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to finish. _Why is he lookin' at me like that? I dare him to say something. I dare him… _She frowned and placed her hands on her hips.

"Hmm?" She waved a hand, coaxing him to continue.

"Let's go," he said, opening the door.

He watched her as she strolled by. Her jeans seemed to hug her hips and bottom in all the right places. He found it hard to look away from her. '_Is she trying to tease me?' _he thought. Kagura noticed the direction of his eyes and smiled to herself. _So, that dried-up custard did notice. I figured he would lecture me for wearing tight clothes._ She happened to be secretly enjoying the attention he was giving her as she walked ahead of him. It was a definite change from Naraku's constant looks of disgust. When they reached the car, he quickly opened the door for her. She pulled the door shut with great force, just missing his arm. He growled in frustration as he entered the driver's side. While driving through town, Kagura saw bright lights flashing from a few blocks away. Sesshoumaru, however, didn't seem to notice it and kept driving in the opposite direction. _How can he not see that? I was right: he wouldn't know fun if it was right in front of him. _She reached over and pulled the steering wheel toward her.

"It's this way!" she grunted.

"Hey!" He attempted to revert the wheels, but it was too late.

She let go and covered her eyes. He tried to regain control of the car as it circled in doughnuts down the narrow street. When it finally came to a stop, Kagura looked up in astonishment. They were sitting right in front of the fair! He glanced at her with an angry expression as he pulled into a parking space. Kagura was too interested in the sight before her to notice him. There were endless carts lined along the street, each one advertising its own unique items. Only adding to her amazement, there was a large section of rides occupying an empty lot. She quickly hopped out of the car and ran into a crowd of people. Turning around, she looked for Sesshoumaru. She saw him walking towards the crowd, wearing an expression that made her roll her eyes. Kagura ran over to him and grabbed his hand.

"Hurry up! I wanna play some games!" She proceeded in pulling him behind her.

He looked down at their joined hands in bewilderment. She was acting like a child at it's first trip to an amusement park. This was a side of her that he hadn't seen before. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a finger poke hard into his side.

"Bet I can beat ya," She flashed him a competitive grin. He looked over to see a large assortment of fish bowls.

"You think so?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He fished a twenty-dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it to the game clerk. The rules stated that if five of your ten balls go in, you win a fish. Kagura went first. She threw ball, after ball but only three made it in. Now, it was Sesshoumaru's turn. He had succeeded in landing four balls in. There was only one ball left, and he was determined to make it. By sheer luck, his ball bounced off the side of his original target and landed into the bowl next to it. Kagura was shocked at his sudden interest to win. _So, he does have a competitive side. He just keeps surprising me. _The game clerk handed her a bag containing a small fish. It was blue with one yellow fin. They left the stand to examine their prize.

"Hey, little guy. What's your name?" She held the bag to her ear, as if expecting a response.

"Are you talking to-" she cut him off.

"You don't have a name?! Well, I'll have to think of one," She looked at Sesshoumaru for suggestions.

"I don't know. I've never had a pet." She looked at him in irritation. _Figures…_

"I've got it! How's Kyu-to sound?" she asked the fish. She held the bag to her ear again.

"This is redic-" she cut him off again.

"Great! We can be friends, but I don't know about him." she whispered, pointing to Sesshoumaru.

Kagura saw the flashing lights of the rides and grabbed his hand again. Suddenly, he felt himself being dragged through another crowd. She stopped in front of a large, vigorously spinning sphere. He looked up to a sign that said the word, "_Gravitor"_. They stood in line, waiting for the ride to stop. Kagura saw people coming off with pale faces, holding their stomachs. _I have to do this. If I don't, I'll never forgive myself. Okay, here goes nothin'. _She tightened her grip on Sesshoumaru's hand, making him wince. They walked slowly toward the entrance. She stopped to hand Kyu-to to the man standing at the door. Once inside, they were told to lean against the wall. There were no seatbelts or handles, just headrests. It was a surprisingly large, circular room with a man standing in the middle with the controls. There were probably over thirty people on the ride. She looked to Sesshoumaru, feeling nervous. He had a calm and peaceful expression. Not a hint of excitement or anxiousness. _Damn it all. He is gonna have fun whether he likes it or not! _She loosened her grip on him, sliding her hand up his arm. Before he could say anything, the globe started to turn. Kagura's breathing became faster as she anticipated the outcome of her first real ride.

It truly was a sight to see. Shortly after the ride had started, everyone was sliding up to the ceiling. The speed of the sphere kept them glued against the wall. Kagura attempted to lift herself, only to be slammed on top of Sesshoumaru. He grunted in pain as her body was pushed onto him. Her face was being crushed under his chin.

"Will you get off?" he asked, attempting to slide out from under her.

"I can't even lift my head, you bastard." she mumbled into his neck.

He could feel the vibrations of her words against his skin, making him shudder. She started to feel sick just as the ride began to slow. They slid from the wall, falling to the floor in a heap. He was on top of her, now. Her cheeks expanded as she held the chunks of puke inside of her mouth. She pushed Sesshoumaru off of her and quickly ran outside. Someone had come up beside her, holding her hair away from the mess. It seemed forever until she was relieved of the sickness. She looked up to see a young version of Sesshoumaru. The only difference was the style of their hair.

"Someone as cute as you shouldn't be blowin' chunks," he said as he let her hair fall around her face. She stood up, staring at him in aggravation.

"Fuck off kid." He folded his arms, returning her glare.

"I'm not a kid, bitch!" he exclaimed. In an instant, Sesshoumaru appeared from behind, grabbing the teen by his hair.

"Don't speak to her that way, _little brother_."

Kagura was more than shocked. He had never spoken about his family before, yet here stood his very own brother! Now that they were together, she noticed that they did have many differences. Sesshoumaru had a very calm face, while the other's seemed angry by nature. Also, the younger of the two was noticeably shorter. Sesshoumaru smirked at her, noticing how the nausea had paled her face.

"Would ya get the hell off of me?" Sesshoumaru released the grip on his sibling's hair. "Besides, you didn't tell me you were pickin' up _girls_."

"What business is it of yours?" he replied.

"If my bro's finally getting' some, I wanna know about it!" He walked away, winking at Kagura.

"You're related to that brat?" She averted her attention to Sesshoumaru, who seemed to be lightly blushing.

"Half-brother… Anyway, don't pay any attention to him. He has no respect for anyone but his mother." He seemed to be staring into space.

She felt a little pity for him. _I wonder what his childhood was like. I never considered that he could be as lonely as I am. Then again, I guess I hadn't realized that I'm not alone anymore. For now, at least… _She looked at him with sorrowful eyes. His vacant expression couldn't hide the fact that he was hiding his emotions.

"Wanna get some grub?" she asked, breaking the silence.

For a moment, he had forgotten her presence. He quickly came back to reality upon hearing her voice. His response was a small nod. After grabbing her fish, she ran up to him and linked their arms together. For what seemed like forever they pushed their way through the unrelenting crowd. Eventually, they reached the parking lot. He opened the passenger door for her, feeling a bit lonely when their arms separated. Once they were on the road, she let out a long sigh and threw her arms behind her head. He gave her a quick glance.

"You are a strange woman," he said out of the blue.

"Don't worry; you're not the only person that thinks so." She looked at her reflection in the window.

"I've never seen a girl stand up to my younger brother. They're usually hanging all over him, buying into his sleazy pick-up lines. He's always been popular with females." This was the closest he had come to telling her of his past.

"I couldn't imagine why. You're obviously more mature, respectful-" She stopped when the car gave a small jerk. Looking up, she saw that they were parked in front of a small _Dairy Queen_.

"You like milkshakes, so I assume you like ice cream," he said as he stepped out of the car.

_I can't believe he remembered. That big jerk. _ She told Kyu-to to hang tight and stepped out of the car. Sesshoumaru shut her door behind her and started toward the restaurant. She ran ahead, grabbing his jacket. He nearly fell when she suddenly began pulling him.

"Why doesn't she just put me on a leash?" he mumbled to himself.

Once inside, the strong smell of many different sweets wafted under their noses. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. It had been a long time since she'd come here. Her mother had included it into their daily schedule, without her father's knowledge. She looked up at the choices, her mouth open in awe. There were so many styles, flavors, and toppings to choose from. She pondered for several minutes, finally coming to a decision.

"I want a chocolate sundae with brownie chunks, extra hot fudge, caramel, and walnuts," she said to the clerk behind the register. The young boy's eyes widened upon hearing her order.

"I'll just have wa-" she cut him off. She wouldn't allow him to skip the enjoyment of ice cream.

"He'll have the same, thanks!" He looked at her with narrow eyes.

Regretfully, Sesshoumaru paid and gathered their treats. After a small argument over their seating, Kagura pushed him into a booth by the window. She looked at him eagerly, waiting for his opinion on the dessert.

"I've never had ice cream," he said with disgust.

She couldn't speak. It seemed unreal to her that someone had never had ice cream. This was the emperor of all frozen treats, after all. She dug out a spoonful of ice cream and held it in front of his face.

"Eat it," she said sternly.

"If I-" He was cut off when a spoon of warm, gooey chocolate with cold ice cream touched his tongue.

She watched him chew, waiting for a response. He grabbed his spoon and continued eating. She smirked, watching him with amusement.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," he said with a full mouth.

"What would you do without me?" she asked. The question seemed to make them both stop and think.

Neither of the two had considered what they were going to do. Kagura knew she couldn't stay there forever, but it was strange to think about being away from him. He had been the first person to treat her like an equal, (besides Suikotsu and Tsubaki), since her mom died. On another hand, Sesshoumaru had gotten so used to living alone. He imagined that it would be annoying to live with another, but he didn't mind her being there. Of course, he would never admit this willingly. He had grown so used to her presence and hadn't even considered her leaving.

"Listen, I know I can't mooch off you forever-" he cut her off.

"I know," he said calmly. "I found a job that you may be interested in."

"But…don't you want me gone?" she asked, a little confused.

"I could get used to these frozen dairies." He referred to the ice cream in front of him.

She was baffled, to say the least. A hard pang of guilt found its way to her stomach. _Man, I haven't even thanked him for everything he's done for me. I can't believe he wants me to stay… _Her conscience cursed her for being inconsiderate, her heart told her to apologize, and her mind told her to cry. She felt so overwhelmed with emotions. The room started to spin and everything went black.

Kagura slowly came into contact with her surroundings. There was a damp cloth resting on her forehead. Sitting up, she tried to recall what happened. _That's right, we were talking and I passed out. Why did I do that? _She was back in Sesshoumaru's bedroom with the covers pulled loosely over her body. One slight problem: she was now wearing a pair of short blue boxers and a white t-shirt. She stood from her bed, seeing the silhouette of Sesshoumaru's body on the cot in front of her. In one quick motion, she had jumped on top of him and pinned his arms down with each of her hands. His eyes riveted a bit, adjusting to the darkness.

"You pervert! I wasn't wearing this earlier!" she screamed.

"I didn't have any choice in the matter. You were dripping from sweat. I tried waking you several times, but it was no use." he replied in a sleepy voice. She felt a familiar guilt creeping into her abdomen.

"Oh, um… I mean," she stuttered. "Listen, I really appreciate all you've done for me. What I'm trying to say is…You know, I guess I'm-" He placed a hand under her chin.

"I understand, Kagura." The tone he used when he said her name made every nerve in her body tingle.

"Thanks for caring," she finally managed to say.

She let go of his arms and crawled back to her own bed. Their day at the fair was flashing in her mind. Then, she remembered her pet.

"Where's Kyu-to?" She was worried that he had forgotten the fish in the car.

"He's fine. I put him in my father's old aquarium. It's already decorated, but you can add some things if you like." She heard him roll over, which let her know that he was going back to sleep.

Just before she fell asleep, her thoughts drifted back to their usual domain. _One day I will be free. I will be the wind…_

* * *

Wow, I got a little carried away on this one: six and a half pages! Anyways, I'll try and update soon so keep the reviews coming!

**P.S. Listen to the song "Missing" by **_**Evanescence**_**. It describes this couple word-for-word! (It makes me think of Kagura's death. DX Why did she have to go?!)**


	8. One Day

Once again, I give my apologies for the delay. My computer got a virus and it took forever to get rid of. And just so you know, the poem is by **me**. I thought it fit Kagura's point of view. But anyways, I must take the time to thank my faithful readers. If it weren't for you guys, I wouldn't spend my time writing this story. As always, please R&R!

(Stay away from me, lawyers! I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.)

* * *

Kagura chewed on the end of her pen with a notebook in her lap. Sesshoumaru had gone back to work today, and she was all alone. Her thoughts were frequently distracted from her project. The day after the fair, Sesshoumaru had suggested a small "job" for her. She wasn't amused by the idea, to say the least.

_**-Flashback-**_

"_Did you ride the short bus? I'm trying to hide from Naraku, not industrialize myself!"_

"_I'll have you know I walked to school. Nonetheless, you can be anonymous. The winner will get a 2,000 dollar prize."_

"_Hell, I probably won't even win. They wouldn't like what I have to offer."_

"_Your personality is just what people want to hear about. Remember, you'll need money to purchase clothing."_

"_I suppose you have helped me out a lot. It's time I do something for myself. And, it is a lot of money; money that I need."_

_**-Present-**_

So here she sat: two days to come up with a poem that was worth 2,000 dollars. It seemed highly unlikely that she would win. Regardless, it couldn't hurt to try. She tapped the pen on her knee.

"What can I write?" she asked herself.

In school, she would jot down whatever ideas that were assigned to her. Her teachers were always quick to judge the darkness of her essays or stories. Even so, she would maintain good grades. But now, she had nothing to work from. No motivation or charisma, except for the reward. She found her thoughts drifting to Sesshoumaru, making her realize a sudden longing. _Ugh, I'm used to being alone. What the hell's wrong with me?_ She cleared her mind, trying to focus on the work to be done. Kagura stared at the paper. _I've got 'til Wednesday. That's plenty time to come up with something. Maybe if I rest a bit…_

She lay back on the soft sofa, closing her eyes. Her mind gave her no peace, even in sleep.

This was the first time she'd dreamt of her mother in years. Still, her inviting smile warmed Kagura's heart. Muzaki motioned for Kagura to come to her.

"I love you, but I must go." she said to her daughter.

Kagura reached out, begging her to stay. Her mother raised a hand, pointing to her right. Sesshoumaru appeared beside her. He was facing Kagura, both hands in his pockets. She looked back to her mother, confused.

"It's alright. Let go, my child." Muzaki whispered, waving goodbye.

Kagura stopped and watched her mother disappear. What had she meant? She ran to where Muzaki had been. Naraku appeared behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him. He gave her a smirk, tightening his grip. She felt herself being pulled backwards. Kagura looked up, but no one was there but her father.

"Sesshoumaru, where are you? You're the only one that can help me!" she screamed to the darkness.

She sat up, startled. Beads of sweat were rolling down her face and neck. _What was that all about? _She stood, deciding a cold glass of water would help. _Was she tryin' to tell me something?_

After recovering from her strange dream, she found the blank parchment on the floor. _What was Mom saying? What do I have to let go of? _She remembered Sesshoumaru's role in her dream. _Why was he there? And, why didn't he help me? That jerk, he would've done somethin' in real-life. I know he cares about me, whether he wants to admit it or not. _Her eyes widened. Plopping down on the sofa, she began to write.

After signing it with a fake name, she sealed it into an envelope and walked outside. _I don't care if I win or not. _She walked to the mailbox and placed the letter inside. _Still, it is a lot of money. _Feeling exhausted, she returned inside to rest. For the next few days, she had nothing to do but wait.

_**-Wednesday- **_

It was finally the day that the winner of the contest would be revealed. She hadn't told Sesshoumaru the contents of her poem, leaving him in suspense. He figured it was something about hating men or animals. The winner would be announced at exactly 8:00pm on the _95.9_ station. They were listening to the radio in the bedroom. She turned the dial, trying to find the correct signal. Then she heard it.

"_Alright everyone, it's time to announce a winner for the 'Best Poem of the Century' contest! It took many long hours, but it's finally been decided."_

Kagura held her breath, crossing her fingers.

"_Here it is, folks. The winner is…Ella Vator!" _

(Wonder if she has a cousin named Esca Lator lol)

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulders.

"Better luck next time, I guess."

Kagura raised a hand to her mouth. _That's the fake name I used! Not very realistic, but it's all I could think of. Holy shit, I won! _She looked at Sesshoumaru and smiled.

"That's the best you could do, Ella Vator?"

"Bite me. I still won, didn't I?" she replied smugly.

"_As an addition to winning, Ella will recite her poem on the air tomorrow! Congratulations, Ms. Vator! Come by at noon to collect your prize and share your work with the listeners!"_

She switched off the radio, horrified. _I can't do that! What if Naraku listens? He'll recognize my voice in an instant! _She gave Sesshoumaru a worried look.

"Hmph, it seems you're just too chicken." He stood from the bed, crossing his arms.

"I'm not _chicken_!" she exclaimed.

In a second, he was facedown in a pillow and she was sitting on his back.

"Say uncle," she grunted, twisting his arm up to his shoulder blade.

"I don't think so…"

With that, he rolled over and flipped her around. He had both knees against her outer-thighs and held her wrists above her head with one hand. His other hand drifted lazily to his side. Their faces were inches apart, yet he didn't draw away.

"Chicken," he taunted.

"Childish bastard..."

He tried to concentrate on her words but the aroma of her hair was intoxicating. It smelled of his shampoo, only sweeter. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were lightly parted. Their eyes locked. He expected the scorching butterflies to return, but they didn't. There were no feelings of discomfort between them.

"What's your problem?"

"I'll take it back after you read your poem on the radio," he stated, rising off her.

"Fine!" Kagura exclaimed. She sat up, as well.

After dinner, they both fell asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillows. It had been an exhausting day for Sesshoumaru. His secretary was throwing flirty hints at him, as always. The printer in the maintenance room was malfunctioning, so everyone asked to use his. One of his co-workers had spotted him and Kagura at the fair, and quickly spread the news around. It felt so good to sleep after the long day.

The next morning, Kagura woke earlier than Sesshoumaru, which rarely happened. She figured he must've been exhausted to sleep this late. _He's usually up at 7:30 every morning. It's almost 10:00 now! _She shrugged, gathering her things for the shower.

While undressing, she heard a knock on the door. _Damn it, I get no peace. _

"What?" she asked in an irritated tone.

"I have to use the bathroom," he replied.

"Sorry, you'll have to wait 'til I get done." She continued undressing and turned the water on.

"It can't wait, Kagura." She ignored him and stepped into the shower.

"That's too bad," she said, closing the shower curtain.

Suddenly, the door flung open. She peeked around the curtain to see Sesshoumaru standing in the doorway, an aggravated look on his face.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she exclaimed.

"I'm using it, whether you're in here or not." He walked toward the toilet, reaching into the front of his boxers.

"You'll pay for this!"

She tried to go on washing her hair, but it felt awkward. An irresistible urge made her hand pull the shower curtain back a little. She peered forward, gasping when she saw his size. _Just keeps surprising me._ He was leaning forward, with his eyes closed and one hand against the wall in front of him. It was strangely alluring to her, yet gross. His t-shirt hung loosely around the chiseled muscles of his arms and chest. She looked back to his face. He was smirking at her.

"Would you hurry up?" she asked, slamming the curtain shut.

"And you call me a pervert…" he said while washing his hands.

The door shut before she could respond. _Asshole, he has no modesty! Did he even care if I saw him? Actually, I think he was enjoying it…_She tried to finish her shower as fast as possible. After drying her hair and body, she put on a short tan skirt and a maroon tank top, (it was supposed to be very hot outside). She slipped her small feet into a pair of black flip-flops. It took her a matter of minutes to apply make-up and fling her hair up in a loose bun. She opened the door to let the hot steam out. _Hmph, I'll get him back now. _She grabbed her small bottle of strawberry-scented lotion from the medicine cabinet and walked to the bedroom. She dabbed a bit into her hand and propped her leg up on the side of the bed.

"Sesshoumaru," she called.

"What do you need?"

"Can you come to the bedroom?" Hearing footsteps in the hallway, she started to rub the lotion onto her raised leg.

He stopped in the doorway and watched her. She gently caressed her slender calf with both hands, smoothing the substance into her skin.

"I'm sorry about earlier. Next time, I'll leave the bathroom when you tell me." He was taken aback by her willingness to even bring up the subject.

"Anything else?" he asked.

She smiled to herself. He was making an excuse to stay and watch her. _Is this what he felt like when he caught me looking at him?_ She switched legs, putting more lotion in her hand.

"Actually, I was wondering if you can stay up here with me for a while. I get pretty lonely, sometimes."

"It's almost noon. We have to leave."

"Boring old goat," she mumbled, putting her leg on the floor.

It was a short drive to the radio station, so they made it on time. Sesshoumaru wouldn't admit it, but he was anxious to hear her poem. Since it won, it must be good. They walked inside and introduced themselves. After many questions, they confirmed that she was the author of the winning piece. Kagura was told the rules of live airing.

"Nothing political or gang related, no profanity, explicit sexual content, racial slurs, or 'rights' rants."

They were led to a small room that had six chairs with microphones and headphones on the table in front of them. The broadcaster entered and sat in a seat, motioning for them to join him.

"There's nothing to be nervous about, okay?" the man assured her.

She nodded and put the headphones over her ears, scooting up to the microphone. Sesshoumaru sat beside her to make her feel more comfortable. The man handed her the poem.

"You just have to this. I won't make you answer the callers' questions if you don't want to," he whispered.

She cleared her throat, preparing herself. _Maybe I can make my voice softer so that no one recognizes it. _The paper was shaking in her hand. Sesshoumaru noticed her discomfort. Herr other hand was in her lap, fidgeting wildly. He put his hand on top of it, trying to console her. She didn't dare look at him. It would only increase her nervousness. Still, it felt a bit comforting. The broadcaster flipped a switch and began to speak.

"Welcome to _95.9_ _Crazy_ _Dog _in the afternoon. I've got Ms. Ella here and she's gonna read her winning poem live. Comment callers are accepted but no questions, please. Okay, everyone give it up for Ella Vator!" He pushed a button that impersonated an applauding crowd.

She cleared her throat again, tightening her grip on Sesshoumaru's hand. They waited for her to start.

"Um, hi. Th-this is Ella. Hope you like my poem, it's called 'One Day'."

She looked over to Sesshoumaru, who gave her a coaxing nod. The broadcaster gave a small thumbs-up. She took a deep breath, and began.

"You'll admit one day

But don't get me wrong

When that someday comes

I could be gone.

You'll admit one day

First, please realize

I won't hang around

For you to decide.

You'll admit one day

So I'll be legit

If it can't be soon

Then I'm gonna split.

You'll admit one day

And suck up your pride

But 'til that day comes

I'll go hitch a ride.

You admit one day

But now it can't be

It took you too long

And you just lost me."

There was a long pause before the broadcaster spoke up.

"See why this is the winner? Well, you sink that in while we get our hankies." He flicked the switch and music started to play.

Sesshoumaru pulled his hand away, replacing his stone mask. The broadcaster stood and shook both of their hands. _Well, I'm glad I got that off my chest. He isn't acting any different, though._ Kagura was told to sign a number of papers before she could collect her money. It surprised her that it was straight cash instead of a check. On the other hand, she enjoyed holding the new bills.

The rest of the day went on its usual course: Kagura worked-out and watched T.V. while Sesshoumaru stayed in his den. She looked at the door that separated them. _Apparently, I didn't make myself clear. _She turned off the television and knocked loudly on the door. No answer; she knocked again. _He's not gonna ignore me all day. I won't allow it! _She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

"I swear, you-" she stopped. He was leaned back in his chair behind the desk, asleep.

She tip-toed in the room, trying not to wake him. Standing over him, she noticed how peaceful and stress-free he looked. _You're such a jerk, ya know? Still, you are pretty handsome in your sleep. Aw man, what am I thinking? What is wrong with me? I've got to shake this off. He's too proud to say it. At least like this, I can pretend. _She gently stroked the hair away from his eyes.

"One day you'll admit it," she whispered, walking out of the room.

* * *

Well, it's starting to get the same feel as the anime. She loves him; he plays dumb. Such frustration…yet, I find a favorite pairing from this. Anyways, please R&R.


	9. When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

It has certainly been a while since I've tried to write anything, so this may be a little rusty. Now without further ado, chapter 9! (I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of its characters)

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Kagura turned on the radio in the bedroom and cranked it up as loud as possible. Sesshoumaru was still soundly napping at his desk in the den, and had been for quite some time. She wanted to wake him up out of sheer loneliness, but decided to make it look accidental. A familiar song blared from the radio speakers; Kagura sang along as she fiddled with her hair in the bathroom.

"_Love don't come so easily, this doesn't have to end in tragedy…"_

Sesshoumaru stumbled out of his chair, startled by the sudden burst of noise filling the house. He made his way to the door of the den. Cautious to open it, he decided he had no choice. _I hope she didn't take advantage of my nap to throw some kind of party. _He walked toward the source of his disturbance, grumbling while taking each step up the stairs.

"_I have you and you have me. We're one in a million; why can't you see?"_

He reached the top to find Kagura examining her hair in the bathroom mirror with the door wide open. It amused him to see her mouthing the words to the song as it played. He found himself unable to pull his gaze away from her soft, pale face and ruby red lips.

"_I'm waitin', waitin' for nothin'. You're leavin', leavin' me hangin'…"_

She felt a sudden unease, as if she was being watched. Her intuition proved trustworthy when she turned to find Sesshoumaru staring at her in a trance-like state. The only defense she could think of was to stare back. _What the shit is he lookin' at? This reminds me of that day at Suikotsu's Diner, the day I met __**him**__. He has a different look about him, now. Almost like he's admiring something.._ She quickly became bored with this petty staring contest and continued singing to herself.

"_When did your heart go missin'? When did your heart go missin'?"_

Sesshoumaru realized that he'd momentarily lost his state of mind and hurried to the bedroom, expressionless. He turned the radio's volume down until it sounded like a dull whisper. Kagura came stomping in with an annoyed look on her face.

"What's the deal?" she hissed, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not a fan of nuisances, incredibly loud music being one of them."

"Well at the moment, _you're_ one of _my _nuisances. I just wanted to have a little fun."

"This volume is acceptable," he said, nodding to the quiet tune the radio was emitting.

"Oh please, a flea couldn't jam to that."

She reached over, turning the volume up to the level it had previously been set on. Prancing out of the room, she returned to mumbling along to the lyrics of the song.

"_I treat you like a princess, but your life is just one big mess…"_

"_When did your heart go missin'? When did your heart go missin'?_

Sesshoumaru turned the music down, once again, expelling a sigh. He knew there was no use in arguing with the woman, but he had quickly developed a strong headache due to the loud music. _How frustrating…_ Lifting a hand to his forehead, he swiftly plopped down onto the bed.

"Hey!" Kagura exclaimed from the bathroom.

Her footsteps grew closer to the door. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as his head throbbed at the thought of her soon-to-come bellowing. The light footsteps stopped beside the bed, and he felt a soft hand touch his shoulder.

"I know I can be a real bitch sometimes," she said. "but I do have a little compassion."

She quickly left the room, returning minutes later with two aspirin, a glass of water, and a damp cloth. _I don't know what the hell's wrong with him. Was I really being that loud? Hmph... _In truth, she did feel bad for being the cause of his obvious discomfort. But, then again, he was the one who'd fallen asleep during the middle of the day. It wasn't her fault that he'd chosen to sleep in his den for half the day.

"Kagura," Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Don't even think about yellin' at me, Sesshy."

He was unable to stop himself before a small grin spread across his lips.

"Why do you insist on calling me that?" he asked, suppressing his smile.

"So you _do_ like it! I knew you weren't a complete prude."

Kagura couldn't stop herself from giggling at his embarrassment. _That big jerk, I think that's the first time he's actually let me see him smile._ She sat down gently next to him, resting her chin on his shoulder. He turned his face to meet his eyes with hers. _You truly are incredible, Sesshoumaru._ She let her thoughts flood out of her mind as his face leaned closer to hers.

_Her crimson eyes, her shimmering lips, her high cheekbones; she's completely perfect. I want to look away, but… _Just as their lips were about to meet, the phone rang. Kagura jumped at the sudden jingle and bumped Sesshoumaru's head with her own. He stood up, hurrying out of the room.

"You asshole, you almost knocked me out!" Kagura yelled into the hallway.

She heard him mumbling to someone on the phone, so she crept out of the bedroom to get a better listen. He sounded quite aggravated. Then again, it was to be expected. _I really need to stop losin' my cool around this creep. I might as well have no standards at all. _She hopped back into the bedroom when she heard him replace the phone in the receiver.

"A friend of mine just invited me to dinner with him and his new girlfriend," he said, rolling his eyes. "I don't expect you'd want to attend something so formal."

"_Of course_ I want to go! What makes you think I wouldn't?"

"Well, you…you just seemed like someone who preferred lively occasions."

"You can tell me if you're too embarrassed to take me. It's not like it'll hurt my feelings."

"Accompany me if you wish."

Sesshoumaru made his way to the kitchen to grab the wallet from his jacket pocket. His friend from work, Jaken, had been unsuccessful in his few past relationships. He had told Sesshoumaru on the phone that he'd finally found the perfect woman. _I hope she doesn't make a fool of herself; tonight is very important to Jaken. After all, he's been my closest colleague for many years now. It's the least I could do for him._ His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Kagura shuffling down the steps.

_What an asshole. I can't believe he'd be so damn arrogant like that! As if I'd make him look bad or something. Well, if he's disgusted by me, at least I'll know the world has gone back to normal. _She'd spent almost no time getting ready for their "double date." Her hair was held back by a large black clip, long waves of brown locks fell down her back. The dress she had chosen whipped loosely around her legs but stayed tight around her waist. It was black in entirety, strapless, and her absolute favorite of the collection Sesshoumaru had given her upon her arrival. The shoes were simple black pumps. (Usual make-up, of course.)

"I hope you at least combed your-…" He walked out of the kitchen to see her standing at the foot of the steps.

"What? Is there something on my face?" she asked, impatiently.

She pulled a tissue out of her bag and began frantically rubbing her face. Sesshoumaru almost burst out laughing at the sight.

"No," he replied. "You look perfect."

Kagura raised an eyebrow. She couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but she decided to let it go for the moment. _I'm so not in the mood to argue with that idiot. _She stomped toward the door and waited for him to join her.

* * *

Yes, it's short. I know. And I apologize again for the very long delay on my story. The next chapter will show the outcome of Sesshoumaru and Kagura's double date with Jaken and his mystery woman.(The song is called When Did Your Heart Go Missing by Rooney)


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